Spotify launches its own self-serve platform for audio ads

Audio streaming service Spotify has launched an audio self-serve advertising platform, Spotify Ad Studio, in beta mode in the US.

According to a blog post, Spotify Ad Studio makes it easy for marketers to reach the right consumers in the right moment with tools to create and manage audio campaigns with flexible budget options for small- and medium-sized businesses.

Khurrum Malik, Spotify’s global director of monetization product marketing, called the launch part of the brand's continued journey towards “a full-scale advertising platform that allows advertisers to create, target, optimize and measure media that drives business outcomes.”

To create an audio ad, users share a script and pick a background track. From there, Spotify Ad Studio generates a “fully-produced” audio ad for review. Users with completed audio ads can also simply upload their ads with a click, the platform said.

In addition, Spotify said its Ad Studio targeting features let users pick an audience based on age, gender, location, activity and music taste. They can also select mobile, desktop or both. After that, advertisers set a budget and timeline and track results to see how the audience is responding.

“Over the last few years, we’ve established Spotify as a trusted space for brands and marketers to reach a hyper-engaged, verified audience,” said Brian Benedik, global head of sales at Spotify, in a statement. “Spotify Ad Studio opens that door to everyone. It’s an amazing opportunity for even more advertisers to build one-on-one relationships with our listeners.”

Spotify test partner University College at the University of Denver wanted to reach younger listeners who might be interested in online education, so it used Spotify ads to drive brand awareness with a new audience, said director of marketing Victoria O’Malley in a prepared statement.

O’Malley also said the brand noticed 80% of consumers who clicked on ads were coming from the rock or pop genre.

“By adjusting our targeting based on that data, we improved our numbers,” she added. “How cool is that, to have a better sense of your more qualified audience?”

And this, Spotify said, demonstrates its music insights provide added value for marketers.

Another test partner, National Shows 2, used Ad Studio to promote concert dates in local markets.

“The amazing thing about Spotify Ad Studio is that it’s an all-inclusive platform, with the ad creation included in the buy,” said Sarah Madalinski of National Shows 2 in the post. “When we’re promoting these small shows with limited budgets, it’s so convenient to have the ad created for us.”